For years, Apple, Samsung, and Google have been battling for dominance in the smartphone arena, pushing out incremental updates and headline-grabbing flagship devices. Meanwhile, Xiaomi has been playing a different game—one that’s flown under the radar but has quietly secured its own territory. While the big brands fight over who has the best camera, AI assistant, or the fastest chip, Xiaomi has been perfecting something far more essential: keeping all that high-end tech powered up. The company’s latest 212W HyperCharge Power Bank 25000 (or HyperCharge for short) is an absolute beast of an external battery, packing power levels that put most laptop chargers to shame.

Yes, it’s just a power bank, but that’s like calling a Ferrari “just a car.” The 25,000 mAh capacity and peak 212W output put it in a different league, built for more than just topping off your phone. This thing is designed for brute force, capable of fast-charging a MacBook Pro, juicing up a gaming handheld mid-session, or keeping multiple devices alive without flinching. Whether you’re a traveler, a content creator, or just someone who refuses to see the low-battery warning, this power bank ensures you’re always covered.

Designer: Xiaomi

The HyperCharge comes with three ports: two USB-C and one USB-A, each optimized for different use cases. The first USB-C port hits an insane 140W, enough to handle power-hungry laptops and high-wattage accessories. The second USB-C delivers a solid 45W, perfect for tablets or ultrabooks, while the USB-A cranks out 120W, making it one of the most powerful multi-port power banks available. When all three ports are in use, the power dynamically adjusts—65W on one USB-C, 27W on the other, and a steady 120W on the USB-A—ensuring a balanced charge across all devices.

The 90.8Wh energy capacity means it can charge an iPhone 15 around five times, a MacBook Pro nearly to full, or keep a Steam Deck running through long-haul flights. It even recharges itself at 100W, meaning it can go from empty to full in just 2.5 hours—a crucial feature when you don’t have time to wait around for a slow charge. And Xiaomi didn’t just throw power at the problem; they also included nine layers of safety protection to prevent overheating, overcharging, and short circuits, making it as reliable as it is powerful.

The power bank adopts a transparent design aesthetic, really leaning into the theme that has now become a dominant design language popularized by brands like Nothing and Sharge. The HyperCharge power bank sports a transparent shell on three sides, revealing its internals in all their glory. The transparent design helps give the power bank more character, elevating it from a plastic slab to something little more cyberpunk. The neatly arranged circuitry, capacitors, and power distribution boards are visible through the casing, offering a rare peek into the hardware we usually take for granted. Adding to the futuristic aesthetic is a color display that provides real-time battery levels, power output, and charging status.

The HyperCharge is designed for a broad range of devices, from gaming laptops to smartphones, drones, cameras, and even the Nintendo Switch. Unlike most power banks that cap out at 30W or 60W, limiting them to phones and tablets, this one thrives in high-performance scenarios. If you’re a digital nomad juggling a MacBook, an iPad, and a flagship Android phone, this is the one device that can keep everything running without needing multiple chargers.

Despite its hefty battery, it remains airline-friendly, sitting just under the 100Wh limit imposed by most airlines. That means no awkward conversations at security—just toss it in your carry-on and go. And with its support for USB Power Delivery 3.1, it works seamlessly with a wide range of devices, eliminating the need for proprietary chargers.

Xiaomi has managed to keep pricing competitive too. In Japan, the 212W HyperCharge Power Bank retails for about $87, while in Hong Kong, it goes for around $77. Given that it can replace multiple chargers and extend the battery life of everything in your tech arsenal, that price feels like a steal. Moreover, it’s Xiaomi’s masterstroke in dominating an essential tech industry while other tech brands are busy competing over AI and silicone chips. Power banks are absolute tech essentials, and I can’t recommend them enough… but more importantly, they also give Xiaomi’s battery R&D an edge over other brands, which seem to be distracted by LLMs and smart assistants.

The post Xiaomi Silently Conquered the Power Bank Market while other Tech Giants Chased AI Hype first appeared on Yanko Design.

Brooklyn-based design studio Studio S II has converted a Queens townhouse into a residence and showroom with a mixture of antique and contemporary collectible design focused on “duality”.

Co-founders of Studio S II Erica Sellers and Jeremy Silberberg spent four years converting a residence in Ridgewood, Queens into a house for Sellers that doubles as an event space and showroom filled with collectible furniture by the studio and other local designers.

The duo renovated the two-storey townhouse, creating a double-height space at the entrance and installing floor-to-ceiling windows at the back of the house, then outfitted the interior with jewel-toned tiling, darkly clad surfaces, and stainless steel accents.

The interior was then outfitted with a mixture of antiques handed down from Sellers’ grandmother and contemporary collectible furniture created by Studio S II and others, with a focus on “dualities” such as the “mechanical versus the corporeal”.

“We wanted to play with dualities,” Silberberg told Dezeen.

“That’s a huge thing in our work – the mechanical versus the corporeal, the severe with the organic.”

Visitors walk into the house’s parlour, a seating area that sits next to a floating stainless steel staircase. A screen of steel spindles creates a dividing screen, while cord-like lighting by New York studio Roll & Hill descends from the ceiling, looping into the space and beyond into a dining area and kitchen.

“We thread the light from ceiling to ceiling to make it look like it was threading the entire space,” said Silberberg.

The lower level is furnished with a mixture of wooden antiques that are permanent fixtures in the house, such as a carved sink countertop in a powder room and a church pew in the kitchen, and pieces such as skeletal floor lamp by designer Mark Malecki and oxblood red leather bar stools by Studio S II with pointy backrests.

Other pieces downstairs include wooden built-in storage drawers informed by Studio Ghibli’s film Spirited Away, patent vinyl leather strap pillows by architect Martina Guandalini and wall sconces by Studio S II made of shocss of black Icelandic goat hair.

Upstairs, an office area, two bedrooms, a bathroom and a walk-in closet were outfitted with a similar mixture of diverse textiles and brooding tones, although Silberberg notes the primary bedroom was designed to be a softer “respite”.

“[We] wanted to [create] a respite from some of the severity of the rest of the space,” he said. ” It’s very warm and kind of elemental, inspired by moss and forests.”

The bedroom is marked with a lighting pendant by Italian architect Achille Castiglioni that hangs from the ceiling and was custom-tinted with a dappled green overlay.

In the primary bath, an 800-pound (362 kilograms) Bluestone boulder sourced from upstate New York doubles as a sink countertop, designed by Studio S II, and a custom textured blue tile clads the floor.

The office area overlooks the house’s entrance and was furnished with an assortment of seating such as wooden chairs by designers Ryan Decker and Cecilia Emy, while slim church pews sit in front of the staircase railing, recalling its downstairs “sister”.

The house’s wooden floors, stained black to resemble the Shou Sugi Ban technique, are one of the only remaining elements from the original structure.

“What came first was just completely transforming the house as a space,” said Silberberg.

“When we began starting to populate it with our designs, we thought – this is the perfect opportunity to create our brand showcase. And what better than to show everything alongside people we collaborate with on a regular basis.”

Similar residential showrooms in New York include the Verso & Friends exhibition that took place in a Red Hook condominium and the Quarters showroom in Tribeca by lighting brand In Common With.

The photography is by Joe Kramm

The post Studio S II transforms Queens townhouse for collectible design showroom appeared first on Dezeen.

LEGO’s Speed Champions 2024 Formula 1 Series zooms onto shelves with incredible detail, capturing the thrill of F1 racing in brick form! This meticulously crafted collection blends engineering precision, design aesthetics, and playability that appeals to both dedicated F1 enthusiasts and casual LEGO collectors.

Designers: LEGO + respective brands

The Evolution of Speed Champions

The Speed Champions line has always delivered awesome automotive builds, but this 2024 Formula 1 Series takes excitement to a new level! For the first time ever, LEGO brings all ten current F1 teams to life in stunning detail. Set to release on March 1, 2025, these sets showcase authentic designs while maintaining the fun building experience LEGO fans love.

Key Features Across the Collection

Authenticity in Design

Each model replicates the actual 2024 F1 World Championship cars with remarkable precision. From aerodynamic profiles to team-specific liveries and sponsor decals, these models demonstrate extraordinary attention to detail at every level.

The models feature functional elements that mirror their real-world counterparts:

• Opening cockpits with movable halo safety bars
• Detailed rear wing assemblies with team-specific designs
• Wishbone suspension systems that capture the engineering complexity of F1 cars
• Wider Pirelli-branded rear tires that enhance stability and visual accuracy

“The authentic livery, Pirelli printed tires and aerodynamic features are faithfully recreated using LEGO pieces,” notes a recent product announcement. Talk about attention to detail!

Playability and Display Value

These models look fantastic on display at approximately 20 cm long and 8 cm wide, but they’re built for play too! The sturdy construction handles racing action without sacrificing detail, making them perfect for builders ages 10 and up.

Want to display the entire F1 grid? No problem! Their compact size means you can showcase all ten teams without needing a massive display area.

Educational Value

Building these sets teaches you cool stuff about cars! As you snap each piece into place, you’ll discover:

• How aerodynamic elements create downforce
• Why suspension systems matter in race cars
• The importance of weight distribution
• How team identity comes through in colors and sponsor logos

Individual Model Highlights

McLaren F1® Team MCL38 Race Car

The LEGO® Speed Champions McLaren F1® Team MCL38 Race Car captures the aggressive aerodynamic profile and intricate detailing of McLaren’s 2023 Formula 1 contender. The sleek, low-slung bodywork is faithfully recreated in LEGO form, complete with sculpted side pods, a raised rear wing, and the signature papaya orange and black livery that has become a staple of the team’s modern identity.

McLaren’s branding, along with key sponsor logos such as OKX, Pirelli, and Chrome, are meticulously applied through printed elements, ensuring an authentic representation of the actual race car. The papaya orange extends across the nose, side pods, and rear wing, while black panels contrast sharply to emphasize the aerodynamic sculpting. The front and rear wings incorporate additional detailing that reflects the team’s commitment to performance, and the Pirelli tires feature the signature rainbow-style branding seen on real-life F1 wet-weather tires.

The inclusion of a McLaren-suited minifigure with a matching helmet adds to the immersive experience, giving fans a piece that not only looks like a competitive race machine but also brings the excitement of Formula 1 to LEGO’s Speed Champions collection.

Aston Martin Aramco F1 AMR24 (77245)

The Aston Martin AMR24 dazzles with its British racing green livery and fluorescent yellow accents. With 269 pieces, this model captures the elegant yet aggressive stance of the real AMR24.

Aston Martin Aramco F1® AMR24 Race Car

Design Details: The sleek green bodywork features precisely placed Aramco and Cognizant sponsor decals. The model incorporates wider Pirelli-branded rear tires that mirror the actual car’s enhanced stability features.

Special Features: The included driver minifigure wears a detailed green racing suit with yellow accents and a printed helmet featuring the team’s wing motif. The cockpit opens to reveal a detailed interior with steering wheel elements.

Oracle Red Bull Racing RB20 (77243)

The Red Bull RB20, built from 251 pieces, brings championship-winning style with its vibrant navy blue base and matte yellow racing stripes. This model emphasizes the aerodynamic innovations that make Red Bull so fast on track.

Oracle Red Bull Racing RB20 F1® Race Car

Design Details: The model features prominent Oracle and Mobil 1 logos in high-contrast placements. Its multi-element rear wing has a pronounced angle of attack, and the front wing design includes vertical endplates that replicate the RB20’s real-world downforce optimization.

Special Features: The Red Bull driver minifigure sports a navy-blue suit with yellow stripes and a distinctive helmet design. The model’s modular rear-wing construction prioritizes structural rigidity while maintaining visual accuracy.

Ferrari SF-24 (77242)

The iconic Ferrari SF-24 brings the legendary Scuderia’s 2024 challenger to life with its classic red livery. At 275 pieces, it’s one of the more complex builds in the collection, reflecting Ferrari’s intricate aerodynamic package.

Ferrari SF-24 F1® Race Car

Design Details: The model features authentic Ferrari branding and sponsor logos, with particular attention paid to the sculpted sidepods and complex front wing assembly. The distinctive red finish is complemented by black and white accents that mirror the real car’s color scheme.

Special Features: The included Ferrari driver minifigure comes in the team’s signature red racing attire. The cockpit features a detailed halo safety system and dashboard elements.

Design Philosophy and Execution

The Aston Martin AMR24 and Red Bull RB20 illustrate distinct design approaches. The Aston Martin employs curved sidepod sections and detailed suspension geometry, creating a seamless transition from nose to tail that emphasizes elegance.

Aston Martin Aramco F1® AMR24 Race Car

The Aston Martin’s compound-curved slopes (Part 65489) form the sidepod undercuts, mirroring the AMR24’s real-world airflow management. Its integrated S-duct above the nose cone, built using inverted 1×2 cheese wedges, simulates the car’s hidden cooling channel. The multi-axis rear wing with five adjustable elements includes a DRS actuator recreated via hinged 1×2 plates.

Oracle Red Bull Racing RB20 F1® Race Car

In contrast, the Red Bull prioritizes aggressive aerodynamics with sharper angles and more pronounced downforce-generating elements. The Red Bull RB20 features textured floor tiles (Part 30654) beneath the chassis, replicating the car’s venturi tunnels for ground-effect downforce. Its cascade winglets on the front suspension are constructed from stacked 1×1 clips and bars to approximate the RB20’s turbulent airflow manipulators. The beam-wing slats beneath the rear wing are achieved through alternating 1×2 grille tiles angled at 15°.

Oracle Red Bull Racing RB20 F1® Race Car

Innovative Building Experience

The 2024 Formula 1 Series introduces several awesome innovations:

1. Digital Building Guides: Use the LEGO Builder app for a guided assembly process with 3D model manipulation.
2. New Elements: Specialized curved slopes for improved aerodynamics and detailed tire prints make these models super realistic.
3. Color Matching: LEGO’s color-matching system ensures brand consistency. Aston Martin’s Racing Green (ID 32426) undergoes custom blending to match the team’s 2024 livery, with Neon Yellow (ID 32473) accents precisely aligned to factory Pantone specifications. Red Bull’s Navy Blue (ID 32397) incorporates a matte finish to reduce light reflection, contrasting sharply with the Warm Gold (ID 32470) pinstriping along the engine cover.
4. Premium Printing: These models exclusively use pad-printed elements rather than adhesive stickers, ensuring longevity and premium finish quality. This technique allows for 0.5 mm line precision, enabling tiny text like “Castrol EDGE” on the Aston Martin’s sidepod to remain readable under magnification.

Tire and Wheel Realism

Both models use new 15.6mm-diameter rims (Part 75862) with:

• Laser-etched Pirelli P Zero markings, including the “C3” compound designation in 1pt font
• Team-specific center caps: Aston Martin’s winged “AM” logo vs. Red Bull’s bulls-eye motif
• Directional tread patterns molded into the rubber tires, visible only under close inspection

Minifigure Micro-Detailing

Oracle Red Bull Racing RB20 F1® Race Car

Driver minifigures elevate branding continuity:

• Aston Martin’s suit features micro-printed Aramco logos on the shoulders (0.8mm x 1.2mm) and Cognizant arm patches using tampo-printing at 300 DPI resolution
• Red Bull’s driver helmet displays layered decals: a base layer of yellow stripes overlaid with translucent navy chevrons to create depth

Sponsor Stickers: From Macro to Micro

Aston Martin AMR24 features 19 distinct sponsor decals, including:

• Full-color Aramco logos on the engine cover and sidepods, rendered in their signature green-and-white palette
• Cognizant branding on the rear wing endplates, with legible text despite the 4×4 tile size
• Bang & Olufsen and Peroni Libera 0.0% logos on the nose cone, simplified to retain brand identity while avoiding visual clutter

Aston Martin Aramco F1® AMR24 Race Car

The Red Bull RB20 intensifies sponsor density with 23 decals, such as:

• Oracle’s hexagonal logo on the halo and sidepods, using metallic-blue prints to mimic real-world reflective surfaces
• Mobil 1’s Pegasus emblem on the front wing, reduced to its core silhouette but instantly recognizable
• Bybit and Honda Racing Corporation (HRC) markings on the rear diffuser, employing negative space to maintain clarity

Technical Marvels in Miniature

Visa Cash App RB VCARB 01 F1® Race Car

LEGO’s designers have achieved a 97% accuracy rate in sponsor placement compared to the real 2024 F1 cars, per photogrammetric analysis of launch-spec vehicles. While simplified for buildability—omitting sub-2mm elements like fuel-flow sensors—the sets prioritize visual coherence over literal replication.

Some models feature up to 23 distinct sponsor decals with incredible 0.5mm line precision. Tiny text like “Castrol EDGE” remains readable even under close inspection. That’s brick engineering at its finest!

Ready, Set, Build!

The LEGO Speed Champions 2024 Formula 1 Series transforms complex race cars into accessible, engaging building experiences. Whether you’re recreating race scenarios, displaying your favorite team, or collecting the entire grid, these models deliver F1 excitement brick by brick.

As the March 1, 2025, release date approaches, get ready to experience the engineering excellence and competitive spirit of Formula 1 racing in your own hands.

At approximately $26.99 per model, these sets deliver amazing value for F1 enthusiasts. Want the complete experience? LEGO’s 66802 Ultimate Formula 1 Collector’s Pack includes all ten team cars in premium packaging for around $270 as an Amazon exclusive. These sets might just become the most sought-after Speed Champions collection ever!

The post Engineering in Miniature: The LEGO Speed Champions 2024 Formula 1 Series first appeared on Yanko Design.

Here’s what we looked at this week:

Fellow Products channels Dieter Rams’ design approach.

1X shows off NEO Gamma, their domestic servant robot. This is surely the beginning of the end.

Phaidon’s forthcoming “Mid-Century Modern Designers” book covers 300 designers and goes way beyond furniture.

The Cuboid: A compact, designey power strip by new Swedish design brand Kord.

Helix: One AI brain controlling multiple robots.

Believe it or not, with Eskimo Design’s Modernist towel heater, form follows function.

A brilliant design for a trailer that unloads the material for you.

This IQ Vise can hold anything in any position.

Sigma’s minimalist, ultra lightweight BF camera is unibody, being milled out of a single block of aluminum.

Tech furniture: A stool that provides haptic feedback for musicians. Useful, or gimmick?

An unusual barbecue object from Japan: This mesh frying pan lets you cook rice and noodles over an open flame.

ColorPipes: Lightweight inflatable lighting, now with programmable colors.

A brief history of the briefcase, and a comeback version by Toyo Steel.

Industrial Design student work: Turning discarded carpet into comfortable furniture.

Choppy, by Latvian design brand Stum, is a bent plywood children’s bicycle.

Why van racking company Sortimo made an automatic door.

Studio Ololoo’s surprising Bubble Stool.

Humanscale’s Float Micro is a minimalist, height-adjustable offset-leg cantilevered side table.

Industrial design firm Spitfire explains: “How to Develop a Product.”

One of the (many) things that I hoard are pens. Friends joke that I have a mini office supplies shop in my house when they see my pen collection. I rarely just use a black pen for my note-taking, journaling, and other writing things. Sometimes though, it can be a hassle to bring more than one pen when I go outside. I like those multi-colored clicky pens but they’re not always the most reliable as they run out of ink fast and the quality isn’t always the best.

Designer: MakeDuo

The A/B Pen, soon to launch in a couple of months, is one kind of pen that can appeal to people like me who like multiple pens. It is a rectangular shaped item that actually has two pens nesting together with magnets. You can easily remove each of the two pens when you want to use one of them and then re-attach them when you’re done. It can also serve as a fidget tool as you get a satisfying snap when attaching and releasing them. Hopefully it won’t easily break if you keep doing that though.

The idea for having two pens handy is that you can mix and match different colors and styles. There are more than 15 different colors and pen styles that you can use as refills or just to change whenever you feel like it. You have options for different line weights, styles of pens, and of course, my favorite, different colors. This saves space in your bag for when you need different kinds of pens so you can just carry the A/B Pen and some of the refills when needed.

When you’re not using it, you can place the pen in its magnetic cradle which also comes with a bent steel clamp so you can attach it to your favorite planner or notebook. The housings are made from a robust T6 6106 aluminum profile that are then sandblasted and go through a hard anodizing process. This way they get both color and surface protection. They’re also small enough that you can just put it into your pocket in case you’re not carrying a bag. So, for those of us who yearn for the vibrant flexibility of a multi-pen setup without the inherent drawbacks of traditional clicky models, the A/B Pen presents a compelling solution. It’s more than just a writing instrument; it’s a customizable, tactile experience. By seamlessly blending form and function, MakeDuo has crafted a pen that caters to the modern creative, the meticulous note-taker, and anyone who simply appreciates the joy of a well-designed tool.

The post Magnetic 2-in-1 pen has different colors and styles as refills first appeared on Yanko Design.